SPORTS OF THE TIMES; With Bluster and Brute Power, Jacobs Pounds Out an Identity

By WILLIAM C. RHODEN

Published: October 30, 2006

On a sunny afternoon at Giants Stadium, with swirling winds and a biting chill, Brandon Jacobs, the Giants' bulldozing second-year running back, stepped up and made a statement.

With one lowered shoulder, one ill-advised thrust of the ball, Jacobs added an exclamation point to a week of controversy surrounding Tiki Barber's proposed retirement.

It was a simple play: a first-and-10 at the Giants' 46-yard line in the fourth quarter. Jacobs ran around left end for a 16-yard gain. There was commotion on the Buccaneers' sideline at the end of the run. Jacobs said a defender took the ball out of his hand; the official said Jacobs pushed the ball in the defender's face. The official prevailed, and Jacobs was penalized 15 yards for taunting. The Giants wound up kicking a field goal to secure a 17-3 victory.

A few plays later, after another physical run, Jacobs had an animated exchange with the Tampa Bay bench. Coach Tom Coughlin might not have been amused, but Giants fans loved it.

After the game, Coughlin refused to tell reporters what he told Jacobs after the taunting penalty. ''What I said is private between he and I,'' he said.

Jacobs made it public. Doing his best Coughlin imitation, Jacobs recreated what his coach told him when he reached the sideline: ''What're you doing? Are you kidding me? Keep your composure.''

Jacobs could smile. Coughlin, hopefully, will smile, too. The Giants are 5-2 and playing better in all phases of the game than any other N.F.L. team. Jacobs, as if to assuage concerns within the organization about Barber's impending retirement, ran like thunder yesterday. He ran 7 times and gained 41 yards, but they were blood-bucket yards.

There are times to lose composure to make a point, to put an exclamation point on a game. To assure fans and management that Barber can retire and the offense is in good hands.

''That's what I do,'' Jacobs said after the game. ''I will make sure my whole team gets in the game. The fans are on my team. I'm going to give them something to look at, I'm going to give them something to cheer for.''

On one play, he barreled into Barber's twin brother, Ronde, and drove him back 5 yards. Jacobs said he was merciful on the play.

''Usually, I'd be tough, I'd be mean to people, and I wasn't really that mean to him,'' he said. ''We had the game won and I knew there was nothing he could do to me.''

The transition from Barber to Jacobs will be jarring. Barber, who is 31, is 5 feet 10 inches and 205 pounds; Jacobs, 24, is 6-4, 264.

Asked if he thought there would be more attention paid to him as the season wore on because of Barber's announced retirement, Jacobs said: ''I don't care what a lot of people say, but I still don't think he's going anywhere. I'm just out there working hard, trying to get better, and when it is my time to take over, we won't miss a beat.''

This is a time of transition in the National Football League, one of those years when the league is replenishing itself with explosive running backs like Reggie Bush, Cadillac Williams and the Jets' Leon Washington.

Unlike Bush and Williams, who played at Southern California and Auburn, Jacobs had a path to the N.F.L. that was relatively anonymous, a journey that only now is coming into view.

He began his climb in Napoleonville, La., where he averaged 8.6 yards a carry in his senior year in high school.

He spent two dominating seasons at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, then went to Auburn, where he had to share time with Williams and Ronnie Brown.

Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville tried to convert Jacobs to linebacker, telling him that was his best route to the N.F.L. His best route was out of Auburn. Jacobs transferred to Southern Illinois, where he flourished. He was drafted by the Giants in the fourth round.

For the past season and a half, he has been a sponge, looking for advice from Barber and any running backs with above-average ability. He looks at the big backs, the small backs, the slithering backs, the bulldozer backs. Everyone.

''I try to be me, trying to be Brandon Jacobs,'' he said, ''but you make your game by stealing from other people.''

He mentioned Barber, the Eagles' Brian Westbrook and the Falcons' Warrick Dunn.

''Steal from all of them,'' Jacobs said.

After yesterday's game, Jacobs was peppered with questions about his rough-and-tumble style.

He answered thoughtfully and patiently, but I hope Jacobs doesn't take bulldozing to heart. Barber hasn't played into his 10th N.F.L. season by consistently running people over.

''For right now, that's the kind of yards I've got to get, because 21's the guy,'' he said, referring to Barber's number. ''When I am the guy, I'm going to find a way to make the tackles seem a little softer, take tackles off of you, take the hard hits off of you, don't take too many blows low or high.''

With no dominating team in the pack, this is a great year to be a good team in the N.F.L. For a young player, this is also the season to make a mark. In Jacobs's case, this is the a season to come out of the shadows.